Joseph F. Smith's Dream of the Bath and the Clean Garments: "Yes, but I Am Clean" (Hawaiian Mission)
Published October 17, 2026 at 8:21 AM
Contributed by
Todd Morgan
Beaumont, CA, 92223
In April 1854, fifteen-year-old Joseph F. Smith was called on a mission to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii). Orphaned — his father Hyrum Smith had been martyred when he was five, his mother Mary Fielding Smith had died shortly before his call — he reached Hawaii, where he later described himself as "almost naked and entirely friendless, except the friendship of a poor, benighted, degraded people." He felt so debased in his poverty, "just a boy, that I hardly dared look a white man in the face."
While in that condition, sleeping alone on a mat "away up in the mountains of Hawaii," he dreamed he was on a journey, impressed to hurry with all his might for fear of being too late. Carrying only a small handkerchief bundle, he came to a wonderful mansion — too great to have been made by hand — and knew it was his destination. Seeing a notice reading "Bath," he turned aside and washed himself clean, then opened the bundle to find a pair of white, clean garments, a thing he had not seen for a long time, and put them on.
Knocking at a great door, he was met by the Prophet Joseph Smith, who looked at him a little reprovingly and said, "Joseph, you are late." Yet the boy took confidence and replied, "Yes, but I am clean — I am clean!" The Prophet clasped his hand — "just as tangible as I ever felt the hand of man" — drew him in, and closed the great door. Inside he saw his father Hyrum, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards, and others standing in a row, and his mother seated with a child in her lap. At the Prophet's request he carried the child to Joseph Smith, who blessed it; and twice he purposely pressed his hands against the Prophet's breast, feeling the warmth, and saw a smile cross his countenance — testing whether it was a dream or a reality.
"When I awoke that morning I was a man, although only a boy," he recalled. "There was not anything in the world that I feared... feeling in my soul that I was a man every whit." The dream permanently transformed him: "That vision, that manifestation and witness that I enjoyed at that time has made me what I am, if I am anything that is good, or clean, or upright before the Lord... That has helped me out in every trial and through every difficulty." President Joseph F. Smith recorded the experience himself on April 7, 1918, seven months before his death. President Gordon B. Hinckley retold it in his April 1996 and April 2007 general conference talks ("Be Ye Clean" and "I Am Clean").
In Their Own Words
“While in that condition I dreamed that I was on a journey, and I was impressed that I ought to hurry—hurry with all my might, for fear I might be too late. I rushed on my way as fast as I possibly could, and I was only conscious of having just a little bundle, a handkerchief with a small bundle wrapped in it. I did not realize, nor did I care, what it was, when I was hurrying as fast as I could; but finally I came to a wonderful mansion, a building of magnificent proportions, and the most beautiful I ever saw. I thought I knew that was my destination. As I passed towards it, as fast as I could, I saw a notice, 'Bath.' I turned aside quickly and went into the bath and washed myself clean. I opened up this little bundle that I had, and there was a pair of white, clean garments, a thing I had not seen for a long time, because the people I was with did not think very much of making things exceedingly clean. But my garments were clean, and I put them on. Then I rushed to what appeared to be a great opening, or door. I knocked and the door opened, and the man who stood there was the Prophet Joseph Smith. He looked at me a little reprovingly, and the first words he said: 'Joseph, you are late.' Yet I took confidence and replied: 'Yes, but I am clean—I am clean!' He clasped my hand and drew me in, then closed the great door. I felt his hand just as tangible as I ever felt the hand of man. I knew him, and when I entered I saw my father, and Brigham, and Heber, and Willard, and other good men that I had known, standing in a row. I looked as if it were across this valley, and it seemed to be filled with a vast multitude of people, but on the stage were all the people that I had known. My mother was there, and she sat with a child in her lap; and I could name over as many as I remember of their names, who sat there, who seemed to be among the chosen, among the exalted. When I had this dream, I was alone on a mat, away up in the mountains of Hawaii—no one was with me. But in this vision I pressed my hand up against the Prophet, and I saw a smile cross his countenance. When I awoke that morning I was a man, although only a boy. There was not anything in the world that I feared. I could meet any man or woman or child and look them in the face, feeling in my soul that I was a man every whit. That vision, that manifestation and witness that I enjoyed at that time has made me what I am, if I am anything that is good, or clean, or upright before the Lord, if there is anything good in me. That has helped me out in every trial and through every difficulty.”
— Joseph F. Smith, recorded April 7, 1918
Sources & References
Original narrative of the dream, recorded by President Joseph F. Smith himself, April 7, 1918; first published as "A Dream" in the Addenda of Gospel Doctrine: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Joseph F. Smith, 5th ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1939), 541-43 - full public scan: https://archive.org/details/gospeldoctrine0000jose_h4p9 Retelling (the talk quoted in the video): Gordon B. Hinckley, "I Am Clean," April 2007 General Conference, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2007/04/i-am-clean?lang=eng Earlier retelling: Gordon B. Hinckley, "Be Ye Clean," April 1996 General Conference, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1996/04/be-ye-clean?lang=eng Video source: "Gordon B Hinckley | 2007 | Joseph F Smith Had A Dream And Stated 'Yes, But I Am Clean'," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak1Ky2Pe5ZQ Full first-person account: Gospel Doctrine: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Joseph F. Smith, 5th ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1939), 542-43 https://archive.org/details/gospeldoctrine0000jose_h4p9
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